Frankly unethical

2| House chairman interferes with bailout

The details: Financial Services Committee Chairman Rep. Barney Frank, D-MA, snuck a provision into the bank bailout to help a local Boston bank that otherwise would not have qualified, and then urged (pressured?) regulators to send the funds there. So much for objective standards for aid.

Bird-brained excuse

3| TIME’s logic crash-lands

The details: In its article explaining a growing risk of jet accidents caused by birds, TIME magazine included “climate change” among the causes. Why does it seem that everything that goes wrong, anywhere, is blamed on global warming?

Immediate Exceptions

4| New Obama rules have loophole

The details: As noted by the valuable Project for Government Oversight, the president’s new lobbying restrictions (see bests, #5) are not being applied to William Lynn, the former Raytheon lobbyist nominated as Deputy Secretary of Defense. Some officials are more equal than others?

Same Old Britney

5| More vulgarity from pop princess

The details: Despite claims that she’s cleaned up her act, Britney Spears’ latest hit single – in a thin disguise – spells out perhaps the most vulgar word in the English language in its title and in its refrain. DJs may want to think twice about playing it, if only to discourage more such shallowness.

Recount hypocrisy

6| What happened to ‘count every vote’?

The Details: Democrats in Minnesota demanded that 12,000 absentee ballots that were excluded on Election Day for noncompliance with state law be counted anyway. But Democrats in Alexandria argued that 22 contested ballots cast in the January 13th special election for state delegate should not be counted. In a surprise showing, Republican Joe Murray came just 16 votes shy of winning the open seat.

Sketchy ethics

7| Governor cancels mansion fundraiser

The Details: Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, recently elected Democratic National Committee chairman, had to cancel a reception at the governor’s mansion in Richmond when it was discovered that invitees were being asked to donate up to $1,000. Virginia law prohibits partisan fundraising during the legislative session, which began on January 14.

No bags for you!

8| Legislator wants to ban plastic bags

The Details: Virginia Del. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, wants the General Assembly to ban lightweight plastic grocery bags for environmental reasons. But plastic bag manufacturers say the plastic sacks require less energy to make and transport, and are easier to recycle than paper grocery bags.

Foreclosures soar in Washington region

9| Virginia suburbs hit hardest

The Details: More than 50,000 homes in the Washington region went into foreclosure last year -160 percent more than in 2007 – according to RealtyTrac, a website that tracks foreclosure activity. Fairfax and Prince William Counties each had more than 10,000 distressed properties for sale. Even well-to-do Montgomery County saw 4,651 foreclosure filings last year – a 3,000 percent increase over 2006.

Impersonating a U.S. marshal

10| D.C. man tries to buy official insignia

The Details: Real U.S. marshals arrested 58-year-old Kenneth Brown when he refused to produce an ID after buying insignia clothing at the agency’s Arlington headquarters to go with his two marshal badges, hat and jacket. Brown, who was armed with two semi-automatic handguns, was apprehended after telling a clerk that he planned to pose as an undercover agent during Barack Obama’s Inauguration